The prestigious Ballon d’Or awards are set to take place soon, recognizing the exceptional talents in football for the year 2024. This year’s ceremony will honor outstanding players, managers, and goalkeepers in both men’s and women’s categories. These awards have garnered massive attention around the planet. A distinguished panel of international journalists are casting votes based on players’ performances over the entire season.
The award process is a convoluted ranking system in which only the top ten players earn points. The points distribution is as follows: 15 for first place, 12 for second, followed by 10, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, and finally, 1 point for the tenth-ranked player. In the case of a tie in points, the highest number of second-place votes determines who is ahead in the rankings. Using this approach allows for equitable assessment of players’ positive and negative contributions throughout the year.
Voting Process and Criteria
Journalists play a crucial role in determining the winners of the Ballon d’Or. They consider three primary factors when casting their votes: individual performances, team achievements, and the overall class and sportsmanship displayed by players throughout the season. Each journalist selects their top ten players from a shortlist of thirty nominees, highlighting their expertise and perspectives on the game.
For the women’s Ballon d’Or, only journalists from nations ranked within the top fifty by FIFA are eligible to vote. This specific criterion is proof of the heavy focus on quality representation and expertise that’s key to evaluating women’s football. The lofty voting process is an imperfect but earnest attempt at wisdom of the crowd that tries to reward the sport’s most transcendent talents.
Highlights from the Nominees
As with every year, this year’s nominees are stocked with deep talent. Aitana Bonmati has emerged as a standout winner for the women’s Ballon d’Or in 2024, showcasing her exceptional skills and contributions to her team. In addition to her, trailblazing managers such as Sarina Wiegman – who in so many ways has taken her team through the lionesses’ den to triumph – are nominated. Sonia Bompastor and Renee Slegers join her on the shortlist for the women’s manager award, reflecting the high caliber of coaching in women’s football.
Along with Bonmati’s win, England’s Lionesses have a number of nominations for their game changing play. Lucy Bronze, Hannah Hampton, Chloe Kelly, Alessia Russo, and Leah Williamson each make compelling cases for the nominees. Together their inclusion proves not just their respective ability, but the long-lasting depth of England’s strength in the women’s game.
On the men’s side, Rodri has claimed the title of the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner. British talents like Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham especially have genuinely gone on to differentiate themselves. Declan Rice, Cole Palmer and Scott McTominay further illustrate the astonishing depth of talent in English football. Their nominations are a testimony to important and undeniable individual performances that have propelled their teams to impressive seasons.
Additional Awards
To celebrate not just players but extraordinary goalkeepers extraordinaire, too. It features up-and-coming talents with special awards. The Yashin Trophy celebrates the best goalkeeper, highlighting their importance to their teams’ success. The Kopa Trophy, which is awarded to the best player under the age of 21, recognizes the new generation of football superstars, highlighting youth as their future stars.
Together, these awards exemplify the deep commitment to equity, which permeates all aspects of the game. Goalkeeping and youth academy production are equally important in increasing total team impact. This all-encompassing view of recognition drives home the message that both teamwork and individual excellence are key ingredients to success.
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